Prince Harry has arrived in the United Kingdom for a visit that has become complicated by a dispute over accommodation at Buckingham Palace. Despite the issue, the Duke of Sussex remains eager to see his father, King Charles, and is hopeful his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, can join him in Britain.
A spokesman for Prince Harry confirmed his arrival on Monday, stating that the trip had been thrown into further disarray when he was informed he could no longer stay at Buckingham Palace. According to reports, royal officials informed Harry on Saturday night, but his team publicly announced he would be staying at the palace 36 hours later.
Sources suggest the Duke was told he took too long to accept the King's invitation for accommodation. In response, a spokesperson for Harry issued a statement accusing the Palace of withdrawing the offer "at the last moment." The Palace, however, indicated that the appropriate hospitality and staffing provisions were no longer available after Harry initially declined the offer before changing his mind.
A spokesperson for the Duke stated that after the decision by RAVEC (the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures) not to provide security for his family, Harry spent the week making alternative security arrangements. Once these were in place, he formally accepted the offer of accommodation for himself over the weekend. The spokesperson added it was "disappointing" the offer was then withdrawn, citing a recent court judgment in the Associated Newspapers Limited case as the reason, a judgment Buckingham Palace was aware of the previous Thursday.
Despite the public back-and-forth, Harry is said to be keen to see his father. Meghan is also expected to attend events in Birmingham later in the week, marking the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games. The Sussexes, who have been holidaying in Europe, are exploring options for Archie and Lilibet to join them in the UK, provided their travel can be managed safely. The children have not seen their grandfather since June 2022.
The Duke's five-day visit includes appearances in London and Birmingham. He had also hoped to visit Althorp Estate, where his mother, Princess Diana, is buried. Accommodation at a royal residence is understood to be available for Harry and his family for future visits. King Charles is continuing his cancer treatment and has a busy schedule of engagements this week.